Eucomis hybrids?

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Sat, 16 Dec 2006 12:32:23 PST
One of the South African genera I actually can grow in my much colder 
northern Oregon garden is Eucomis, probably because they are dormant in 
winter. To protect the bulbs I plant them quite deep, and put a thick layer 
of bark mulch on top. I think they don't grow so deep in nature. I grow 
them in a bed that gets watered a lot because it contains a large 
Franklinia. My plants flower well (in this bed I have E. pole-evansii, E. 
autumnalis, E. bicolor, and one of the purple-leaved hybrids) and are not 
floppy, as Terry and Mary Sue complained. Perhaps the deep planting helps 
with the latter problem? Also, the soil is quite rich, and I fertilize them 
along with all the other perennial beds, with an application of 
8-month-release commercial pelleted fertilizer in spring, as well as 
occasional top-dressing with composted cow manure.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA
where the ground is icy and dusted with snow today.



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